Edinson Cavani is concerned his friend Luis Suarez could be driven out of the Barclays Premier League ahead of his own potential transfer to England with Manchester City.
The highly-rated striker is City's number one transfer target. For all of the controversy surrounding Suarez, however, Cavani insists the Liverpool forward is the best player in the league and is concerned he will leave because of his 10-match ban and the treatment he is receiving, despite many understandably believing it to be justified.
‘It was impossible to say what Luis did was right,' Cavani told The People. 'But if it was another player would it have got the same reaction?
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‘He is a really good guy, a really good family man, but he admits he does things on the field he sometimes regrets.
‘He has apologised but it seems like people in England want to make a problem for Luis because it is Luis.
‘He has told me many times how happy he is at Liverpool, how he appreciates all the support he has had off them, and how he wants to see out his contract there.
‘If he keeps on getting treated the way he is then the Premier League will lose their best player.'
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Cavani's concern is unlikely to be shared by many of Liverpool's rivals. Everton's Leighton Baines is among those to welcome Suarez's ban given it means he will miss next week's Merseyside derby and there will be others who share his sentiments.
David Moyes' team can ensure they finish above their local rivals with victory at Anfield next weekend, one that would be the first of Moyes' reign, and Baines believes Suarez's absence gives he and his team-mates a significant advantage.
'Yes, we’re glad we don’t have to face Luis Suarez because he’s a top player and he has done so much for Liverpool this season,' said Baines, who hopes to help Everton finish above Liverpool for the first time in successive seasons since 1962.
Hounded out: Cavani is concerned that Luis Suarez could leave the Premier League
'If they had been missing him this season they probably wouldn’t be where they are in the league at the moment. He will be a big loss for them.
'But they have got very good players throughout the team and it will be up to them to come to the fore and keep them going.
'We understand the importance of it, it is a big game.
'Every derby is massive because of what it is and it means so much to the fans and us as players as well. But there is no added importance because it is at the end of the season, it is just another derby.'
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